Costas' HBO Deal Could Cost ESPN

Any efforts by ESPN to land Bob Costas for its upcoming NationalBasketball Association telecasts could be thwarted if Home Box Office renews itscable-network-exclusive deal with the high-profile sportscaster.

HBO executives said the network is currently negotiating with Costas to renewhis current agreement, which expires in June.

Costas hosts sports series On the Record, which begins a 12 week-runon the premium channel March 28.

As part of a new deal, HBO would also renew its contract clause insistingthat Costas not appear on any other cable-network program, sources close to thesituation said.

That clause would put a wrench in ABC/ESPN's expected plans to pursue Costasfor its NBA coverage once the sportscaster's deal with NBC expires later thissummer.

Costas has been a key face of NBC's NBA programming, both as a studio hostand an announcer, and he would be an asset to ABC/ESPN's six-year, $2.4 billiondeal.

While Costas could appear on ABC's NBA coverage, he would be prohibited fromappearing on any of ESPN's 75 regular-season contests or its 22 early-roundplayoff games and complete conference-final-series coverage.